Apple’s been coming up in the rear-view mirror of Microsoft for awhile, and objects are closer than they may appear in that mirror. While Microsoft still completely owns the desktop market space, largely thanks to bulk business licenses, Apple has been achieving exponential growth in the laptop sector. They completely own the portable media player sector with their iPod line of devices, even while Microsoft’s (very good) line of Zune players suffers consumer neglect. And the iPhone? What is there to say? It’s a juggernaut.

But is it likely that Apple will overtake Microsoft as the most valuable company in the technosphere? According to an analyst speaking to CNBC, yes, and within two years.

“The biggest overriding reason why the company still has room to run is that its business is growing,” Erick Maronak, chief investment officer for the Victory Large Cap Growth Fund, told CNBC. “The day they introduce the tablet, that’s going to drive a lot of earnings.”

He continued: “[I would] “not be surprised to see Apple’s market cap approach Microsoft’s in the next two years, though [I also like] the software company’s growth prospects.”

Apple is currently valued at around $180 billion, while Microsoft is at $250 billion. That’s a big disparity, but Apple’s business is booming, while Microsoft’s seems to be stagnating. I would not be surprised to see Apple make some headway and become as big as Microsoft… but I doubt the much rumored Apple tablet is going to be the device to do it.